Cracker Jack

The inside of a bag of Cracker Jack

Cracker Jack is a brand of snack food that is made of molasses-flavored candy-coated popcorn and peanuts. The food is packaged with a prize of very minor value inside. Some food historians consider Cracker Jack the first junk food.^[1] An early version of Cracker Jack was sold at the first Chicago World's Fair in 1893. In 1896, the first lot of Cracker Jack was made. A taster remarked, "That's crackerjack!" (meaning "of excellent quality"). It became the product name.^[2]

Cracker Jack Media

Enlist Cracker Jack ad.png

1918 Cracker Jack ad, asking readers to enlist in the Navy. Eating Cracker Jack would save valuable sugar and wheat for the war effort.
Grave of Robert Muno Rueckheim (1913–1920) at St. Henry Catholic Cemetery, Chicago.jpg

Robert Rueckheim's grave at St. Henry Catholic Cemetery. As of October 2022, the inset image of Sailor Jack is missing.

References

↑ Manny Fernandez, "Let Us Now Praise the Great Men of Junk Food", New York Times, August 7, 2010. full text, quoting Andrew F. Smith, the author of the Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food
↑ American Heritage Dictionary, 4th ed., 2000

[1] Manny Fernandez, "Let Us Now Praise the Great Men of Junk Food", New York Times, August 7, 2010. full text, quoting Andrew F. Smith, the author of the Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food

[2] American Heritage Dictionary, 4th ed., 2000

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